Social Protection Minister Regina Doherty has ‘no intention of discontinuing Christmas bonus for social welfare recipients’

The Minister slammed reports that the bonus may be in jeopardy

Harry Manning

25 Sep 2018, 15:47

Updated: 25 Sep 2018, 16:40

MINISTER for Social Protection Regina Doherty has confirmed she has 'no intention of discontinuing the Christmas bonus for any social welfare recipient" this year.

Fears were sparked this morning that the "hugely relied upon" bonus could be scrapped - however Minister Doherty has assured worried punters that this is not the case.

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Minister of Employment and Social Protection Regina DohertyCredit: Oireachtas TV

Appearing before the Oireachtas committee on Employment Affairs and Social Protection, the Minister said she wanted to "put at ease the minds of hundreds of thousands of people."

She said: "There is no intention of discontinuing the Christmas bonus for any social welfare recipient.

"I’ve been called choice names today because of people’s reactions and I’m big and ugly enough to look after my own reputation - that's not at issue.

"But what the real issue is I think it was the meanest thing to do, was to needlessly worry people - particularly older people and those with disabilities."

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Social Welfare recipients will receive a Christmas bonus this yearCredit: GETTY - CONTRIBUTOR

There is currently no provision in the Budget for a Christmas bonus but Doherty explained that the bonus is "never included in the Budget."

She added: "When I sit with Paschal [Donohoe] next week, we're not going to have a line in the Budget for next year's Christmas bonus.

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"I think you'd want to be incredibly thick or entirely desperate as the then government were and had no choice to interfere with what is hugely relied upon by hundreds of thousands of people in this country."

Last year’s Christmas bonus saw each recipient given an extra sum worth 85 per cent of their usual payment.